The Korea Herald

Seattle, beyond the usual tourist haunts

SEATTLE ― Pike Place Market. The Space Needle. Pioneer Square. Check, check and check.If you’ve hit these obvious Seattle destinations, you’re not a newbie. But maybe you’re not an insider either.So, this Seattle checklist is for you. It skirts those three attractions and several other popular stops to make more room for Ballard, Capitol Hill, Fremont and the University District ― four asset-rich Seattle neighborhoods my family and I explored on a visit last summer. Our list starts with three st

Aug. 17, 2012

Seattle, beyond the usual tourist haunts

Air Busan increases international services

Air Busan will operate charter flights between Busan and Xian, China twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, from Sept. 28-Nov. 20 to meet growing demand. The budget carrier is also adding one daily round trip flight between Busan and Fukuoka and between Busan and Osaka from November and increasing round trips between Busan and Cebu to seven flights a week.

Aug. 10, 2012

KTO to conduct survey on popular tourist sites

The Korea Tourism Organization is conducting a survey of favorite tourism destinations that Koreans wish to visit for summer vacation. Participants can vote through Aug. 31 for their favorite places among the 29 places in the poll at korean.visitkorea.or.kr. The KTO said it will offer special prizes of a robotic vacuum cleaner and tickets to water parks to respondents.

Aug. 10, 2012

15% off at Benikea hotels for Hyundai Card, BAI

The Korea Tourism Organization is offering a 15 percent discount on accommodation at Benikea chain hotels for employees of Hyundai Card and the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea. From August, about 6,000 employees of two organizations are expected to receive discounts up to 15 percent when they make reservations at 29 Benikea chain hotels across the country. Benikea chain hotels are a group of reasonably priced hotels in Korea whose services are approved by the state tourism agency.The hote

Aug. 10, 2012

Mexico aims to become key tourist destination for Koreans

Despite the long distance, Mexico has become one of the most sought-after travel destinations for Koreans, a high-ranking Mexican official said Thursday.The Mexican Tourism Board saw 15.3 percent increase in the number of Korean travelers to the Latin American country from 34,965 in 2011 to 40,303 this year. It attracted a record 23.4 million tourists from around the world in 2011, making it the 10th most visited country in the world. “Korea is a strategic market for Mexico. As this year celebra

Aug. 10, 2012

Mexico aims to become key tourist destination for Koreans

Deconstructing Norway: A tune for travel, on backroads and byways

LILLEHAMMER, Norway ― The visitors touring Maihaugen Heritage Village were itching with curiosity. They’d wandered the site’s narrow lanes and peered inside the 200-year-old log cabins. They’d explored the craft shops and traditional hand-hewn barns brought from far-flung farms and forests and reassembled here, under the trees. Now they wanted to know if any of Norway’s leading figures ― statesmen, film makers, painters or artists ― had their roots in these humble huts.“What about Thor Heyerdahl

Aug. 10, 2012

Deconstructing Norway: A tune for travel, on backroads and byways

Natural phenomenon turns French lake red

A French lake that transformed into a deep shade of red has surprised many tourists. The color change is a natural phenomenon believed to stem from the salt crystals surrounding the lake in Camargue, southern France. The sight was captured by a Russian photographer Sam Dobson, who stumbled across the scene by chance while driving through France. “I’d read a lot of things about Camargue but I’d never heard anything about this,” he said. Sam went on: “The salty crystals can be seen everywhere. Eve

Aug. 10, 2012

Natural phenomenon turns French lake red

Oktoberfest at Grand Hilton

The Grand Hilton Seoul is hosting its annual traditional German Oktoberfest on Sept. 8.The hotel, located in Hongeun-dong, northern Seoul, invites guests for an evening of celebration with beer and traditional German food. The festival is Korea’s largest Oktoberfest event, which draws more than 1,000 people every year. Originated in Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest is the world’s largest festival attracting about 7.5 million people every year. The origin of the festival is known as the celebration p

Aug. 8, 2012

Over 1m foreign tourists visited South Korea in July

More than 1 million foreign tourists visited South Korea in July, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Sunday, marking the first time the monthly figure has topped the 1-million mark.“The number of foreign tourists who visited the country in July is estimated at 1.02 million,” a ministry spokesman said. “It is the first time more than one million foreign tourists have visited the country on a monthly basis.”The previous record was 970,000 set in April.Ministry officials attributed th

Aug. 5, 2012

How to stay cool in the scorching summer

The coolest places in the country to beat the summer heat with families and friendsIt’s just too hot. A heat wave warning was issued for the first time in Seoul this week and the heat wave is likely to scorch the country for a few more weeks. However, there is an escape. Try these extremely cool ideas for chilling out during the dog days of summer.Ice artIce Gallery, the world’s first indoor gallery exclusively for ice sculptures, is in Seoul. Located across Jeongdok Library in Hwa-dong near Sam

Aug. 3, 2012

How to stay cool in the scorching summer

Koreans feel most welcomed in Japan

Koreans travelers feel the most welcomed in Japan, Thailand and Australia, according to a recent survey conducted by the hotel booking website Hotels.com. The top three popular destinations preferred by the 1,000 Korean tourists surveyed also include Japan (36 percent), followed by China (27 percent) and Thailand (17 percent). The respondents also voted Japan as the best culinary destination with the best local food, followed by France and Italy. They also said they spend about 25 percent to 49

Aug. 3, 2012

Frankfurt Museum Festival to be held Aug. 24-26

Frankfurt Museum Fest, one of Europe’s largest cultural festivals, will be held from Aug. 24-26 in Frankfurt, Germany. The festival features arts and crafts stalls, live music, and culinary highlights from around the world on Main River, where a cluster of museums are located. During the festival period, visitors can enter all museums free of charge with the special “MUF Fest badge,” available for four euros at tourism information centers in the central train station and Romerberg Plaza. Visitor

Aug. 3, 2012

KORAIL sees airport express passengers increase

Since the Korea Railroad Corporation began offering a 42 percent discount on the airport express last month, the number of passengers increased more than two-fold, officials said. KORAIL, which has been selling airport express tickets at 8,000 won since July 1, has seen its daily passengers increase from 899 to 1,749 on average.The airport express runs nonstop from Incheon International Airport to Seoul Station. The trip takes 43 minutes. Passengers leaving for international flights can go throu

Aug. 3, 2012

Italy to start Colosseum repairs in December

ROME (AFP) ― Long-delayed repairs to the 2,000-year-old Colosseum will begin in December in a project funded by Italian billionaire Diego Della Valle to save the crumbling monument, officials said on Tuesday.The culture ministry said the first contract for the restoration project ― an 8.3-million-euro ($10.2-million) tender to clean up the facade of the Roman amphitheatre blackened by passing traffic ― was awarded last week.The restoration of the Colosseum will last two and a half years and the

Aug. 3, 2012

Buy your next vacation souvenir in your hotel room

DALLAS (AP) ― Hotel rooms are no longer just a place to shower, sleep or maybe indulge in a breakfast in bed. They’re now also spots to pick up a souvenir ― and no, we aren’t talking about stealing the towels.Like that painting over the bed? How about that drawing next to the TV? At hotels around the globe, guests now have the option to purchase the art work in their rooms.For several years, hotels have invited local artists in to decorate hallways, lobbies and other public spaces. It’s a way th

Aug. 1, 2012

Climate change prompts French ski area to mull downsize

GRENOBLE, France (AFP) ― A modest ski area in the French Alps is ready to unbolt its chairlifts and rope off slopes as the local mayor concludes that climate change means the trails ahead will be rocky.Henri-Victor Tournier, the mayor of Biot, wants to clear cable towers from the 1,230-meter-high resort of Drouzin-le-Mont before the next elections in 2014 and convert the area to low-impact alpine activities.“There are lots of things to do in the mountains without having cables hanging over our h

Aug. 1, 2012

Paris Ritz closes for $170 million face-lift

PARIS (AFP) ― The Paris Ritz closes Wednesday for a two-year face-lift to bring the city’s best known luxury hotel into the 21st century and keep its mega-rich clientele coming back in an ever more competitive market.The renovation comes after the five-star hotel, which neighbours the famed jewellers of Paris’ Place Vendome but has not had a refit since 1979, failed to win France’s coveted “palace” designation marking a top luxury destination.Owned by Egyptian tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed, it was onc

Aug. 1, 2012

Global travel industry gears up for Muslim tourist boom

SINGAPORE (AFP) ― From halal spas to prayer rooms at airport terminals, the global tourism industry is gearing up for a projected boom in Muslim travel over the next decade, experts say.Their growing number and affluence means Muslims ― especially from the oil-rich Middle East ― are traveling like never before, and it is a trend that looks set to gather pace.Spending by Muslim tourists is growing faster than the global rate and is forecast to reach $192 billion a year by 2020, up from $126 billi

July 30, 2012

On the trail this summer

The Korea Tourism Organization suggests budget-friendly, eco-friendly vacation ideasHave you planned a summer vacation in advance, or are you looking for just any travel package at the last minute? As summer vacation season approaches, the dilemma of choosing between going abroad or staying in the country inevitably arises. Furthermore, many Koreans cannot afford to take off more than a week, even though summer vacation may be their longest break of the year.Overloaded with work and out of trave

July 27, 2012

KORAIL to extend night services from Pentaport

Korea Railroad Corporation has announced it will operate night trains for visitors traveling from the 2012 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival to Seoul on Aug. 10-12. It will run night trains three times that will leave Geomam Train Station at 12:21, 12:40, and 1:00 a.m. and arrive at Seoul Station at 12:53, 1:12, 1:32 a.m., respectively. KORAIL said it would offer 50 tickets to participants of a Twitter event to promote the special night trains. To enter the lucky draw, follow the KORAIL Twitter ac

July 27, 2012